Tom Coughlin, Mark Messier, Joe Torre, Bobby Valentine & Jeff Van Gundy
To Join Mike And The Mad Dog
March 30, 2016 From Radio City Music Hall
Show To Be Simulcast On MSG+, WFAN And SiriusXM
New York, NY (February 25, 2016) – The Garden of Dreams Foundation announced today that the sold-out Mike and the Mad Dog Reunion Show on March 30 at 8:00pm at Radio City Music Hall, presented by Empire City Casino, will include sports legends Tom Coughlin, Mark Messier, Joe Torre, Bobby Valentine and Jeff Van Gundy. The special guests will join the iconic radio team of Mike Francesa and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo for the historic reunion. The show will also be simulcast commercial free on MSG+, WFAN and SiriusXM.
Fans of the Mike and the Mad Dog Show who weren’t able to secure tickets to the show at Radio City will now be able to watch or listen to the historic event, and have the opportunity to make a donation to the Garden of Dreams Foundation via text message during the live simulcast. Active immediately, fans can text REUNION to 72727 to make a tax-deductible donation to Garden of Dreams. All net proceeds from the event will go directly to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization that works with MSG and MSG Networks to bring the magic of MSG to children facing obstacles.
One of the most successful coaches in NFL history, Tom Coughlin twice lead the Giants to the championship during a successful 12-year run as the team’s head coach from 2004-15. In 2007, he led the Giants to a victory in Super Bowl XLII, defeating the previously-undefeated New England Patriots in a championship run that captivated all Giants fans. Coughlin went on to win another Super Bowl with the Giants in 2011 defeating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.
Mark Messier arrived in New York on October 4th, 1991 and set the goal of bringing a Stanley Cup to Rangers fans. And in 1994, Messier delivered on that, leading the Rangers to their long awaited Stanley Cup, becoming the first player to captain two different teams to a Stanley Cup victory. Messier retired after the 2005 season and finished with six Stanley Cups and was second all-time in the NHL with 1,887 points for his career. Retired in 2006, his jersey now hangs from the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
Joe Torre remains one of the most decorated individuals in all of baseball, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 2014. From 1996 to 2007, he was the manager of the New York Yankees, whom he guided to four World Series championships and an incredible 1,173-667 record. A nine-time All-Star, Torre won the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player Award after leading the major leagues in batting average, hits, and RBI’s. Torre is the only major leaguer to achieve both 2,000 hits and 2,000 wins as a manager. He currently is the Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations for the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball.
Bobby Valentine led the Mets to the historic 2000 Subway Series after capturing the National League pennant. Valentine managed the New York Mets from 1996 to 2002 leading them to five straight winning seasons from 1997 to 2001. Before managing in New York, Valentine Managed the Texas Rangers from 1985-1992, and then went on to become one of the most successful managers in Japanese baseball history. His baseball playing career included stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, New York Mets and Seattle Mariners. In 2013, Valentine was named athletic director at Sacred Heart University in Stanford, Connecticut.
Following eight years as a Knicks assistant coach, Jeff Van Gundy was named the head coach of the New York Knicks in 1996, at age 35, becoming the youngest coach in the NBA. He coached the team until December, 2001, and led the Knicks to the playoffs six times, including their spectacular run to the 1999 NBA Finals. He joined the Houston Rockets in 2003 and then went on to a prolific career in broadcasting, currently serving as ESPN’s top color commentator for its NBA coverage calling many games alongside Mike Breen.
Francesa and Russo were partnered on WFAN in 1989 and, following their 19-year run, are widely considered the most successful team in the history of sports radio. This reunion will mark the first time they have been back together since their final Mike and the Mad Dog broadcast in 2008.
Empire City Casino has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the Mike and the Mad Dog Reunion Show. Located just minutes from Manhattan, Empire City Casino features 5,300 of the hottest slots, electronic blackjack, three card poker, craps, roulette, and baccarat.
Since it began in 2006, Garden of Dreams has used the magic of MSG and MSG Networks – which include the Rangers, Knicks, Liberty, Rockettes, famed showplaces and two sports and entertainment television networks – to brighten the lives of more than 275,000 children and their families.
The Foundation works with 25 partner organizations throughout the tri-state area – including hospitals, wish organizations and community-based organizations – to reach children who are facing challenges such as homelessness, extreme poverty, illness and foster care. Driven by its commitment to truly change lives, Garden of Dreams conducts hundreds of events each year. Through its Garden of Dreams Giving program, the Foundation also provides resources to its partner organizations to help them meet critical needs in their service to children. This includes direct support of scholarships, and tangible, targeted community projects such as hospital refurbishments and community center refurbishments. For more information on the Garden of Dreams Foundation, visit www.GardenofDreamsFoundation.org.
WFAN is the home of Francesa’s No. 1 afternoon show, which he has hosted solo since August 2008. His show, broadcast weekdays from 1:00-6:30pm ET, is the top-rated afternoon drive program among Men 25-54 according to the latest Nielsen PPM ratings for Fall 2015. Audio of the reunion show will be available on-air at 660AM and 101.9FM, online at www.wfan.com and via the Radio.com app for mobile devices.
The Mike and the Mad Dog Reunion Show will air on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio channel, (available on satellite radios and the SiriusXM app) which Russo launched on SiriusXM in 2008. Russo hosts his daily SiriusXM show, Mad Dog Unleashed, weekday afternoons from 3-6pm ET. He also hosts the daily TV show, High Heat with Christopher Russo, every weekday from 1-2pm ET on MLB Network.
About The Madison Square Garden Company
The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment with a portfolio of legendary sports teams, exclusive entertainment productions and celebrated venues. MSG Sports owns and operates some of the most widely recognized sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA), along with two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBADL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). MSG Sports also presents a broad array of world-class sporting events, including: professional boxing, college basketball, tennis, bull riding and e-gaming events. MSG Entertainment features exclusive, original productions that include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and the Rockettes New York Spectacular, both starring the Rockettes, and presents or hosts a wide variety of live entertainment offerings, including concerts, family shows and special events, in the Company’s diverse collection of iconic venues. These venues are: New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, California; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston, MA. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.